This report is based on survey findings of the delegates for the Education Strategy Forum on the 26th and 27th February 2019, comprising of 308 Vice Chancellors, Directors and Heads of Department from UK Higher Education. To deepen our insights, we interviewed the highest decision makers in face-to-face and telephone interviews to discuss trends and issues being tackled by university leaders.

1. inspire motivate transform
Further and Higher
EDUCATION
STRATEGY
FORUM
Research Report
Total Delegate Group: 308
26th
& 27th
Feb 2019
Education Strategy Forum

2. This report is based on survey
findings of the delegates for
the Education Strategy Forum
on the 26th and 27th February
2019, comprising of 308 Vice
Chancellors, Directors and Heads
of Department from UK Higher
Education.
To deepen our insights, we
interviewed the highest decision
makers in face-to-face and
telephone interviews to discuss
trends and issues being tackled by
university leaders.
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

3. 17Vice-Chancellors
(plus Deputy/Pro-
VCs) & C-Suite
118Directors
113Heads of
Department
31Management
29Other
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

4. MAIN FINDINGS OF THE REPORT
ENHANCINGSTUDENT
EXPERIENCE
Applicant journey and
student experience
solutions was flagged as
the top transformational
initiative by the group.
THE STUDENT
JOURNEY
The initiative in most
need of improvement
concerned visibility of
the student journey.
IMPROVING
REPUTATION
Nearly all of those
surveyed stressed that
improving university
reputation is an urgent
focus area.
ANALYTICS &
BIG DATA
Plans are in place to
significantly increase
future spend towards
big data analytics
solutions.
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

5. The key issues being
tackled by the Chief
Information Officer at
one of the UK’s top 50
universities:
• Digital Transformation -
managing user expectations
and achieving organisational
ownership
• Collaborative working
• Integration Architecture
The budget plan for the
Director of Planning,
Information & Reporting at
one of the largest universities
in London:
• Continuing to develop staff
• Choosing a new Student Record
System
• Integrating a FE college into the
university family of education
providers
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

6. ESSENTIALS OF A MODERN UNIVERSITY
Universities are looking at ways of delivering targeted outreach and engagement
throughout the student cycle, giving the seamless experience students expect and
personalising content and interactions across channels and devices.
Higher education institutions are investing in technology that gives
students optimal access to learning resources wherever they are,
whether through video content at home or using a mobile app while
they are out on campus.
Students are gaining access to active-learning classrooms, enabling them to engage in
collaborative reflection, problem-solving, listening and discussion.
Universities are integrating Artificial Intelligence in their engagement with students
through the use of chatbots for encouragement, reminders and to prompt assistance to
help students stay on track. The technology is also being used to evaluate essay-type
answers for online learning platforms.
To make effective use of Big Data Analytics, our client group highlighted the need to ensure
staff are trained in utilising the data, goals and expectations are clearly outlined and that the
outcomes of analysis are communicated effectively.
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

7. COMBINED SPENDING POWER OF GROUP
£1,701,750,000
£100,000 -
£250,000
30
PERCENTAGE%
BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY PER PERSON
20
10
0
£250,000 -
£500,000
£500,000 -
£750,000
£750,000 -
£1,000,000
£1,000,000 -
£5,000,000
£5,000,000 -
£10,000,000
£10,000,000 -
£25,000,000
£25,000,000 -
£50,000,000
£50,000,000 -
£100,000,000
£100,000,000+
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

8. TRANSFORMATIONAL
INITIATIVES Whilst keeping up with
technological advancement
the group are seeking
ways to improve student
experience and improve
the applicant journey for
prospective students. To
achieve this, strategies
are being developed which
are incorporating cutting
edge innovations and
streamlining processes.
Modernisation
of Technology
Infrastructure
Information
Access for
Students
to Improve
Outcomes
Modernisation of
Current Delivery of
Services
Process
Automation
Applicant Journey
& Student
Experience
Solutions
20
25
35
30
15
PERCENTAGE%
10
5
0
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

9. STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY
PRIORITY Over half of the group
considered building a
cost effective and flexible
technology infrastructure
for the future to be their
organisation’s top strategic
technology priority. At
a time where budgets
are being stretched,
universities are seeking
ways to maximise
efficiencies from a long-
term perspective and
become more distributed,
more mobile and more
international.
Alignment of
Business With ICT
to Identify Where
ICT Contributes
the Most
Gaining Competitive
Advantage
from Business
Opportunities
Created by Using ICT
Building a Cost
Effective & Flexible
Technology
Infrastructure for
the Future
Using ICT Solutions
as an Enabler for
Generating Income
36%
14%
3%
28%
2%
19%
18%
57%
7%
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

10. RANKING OF TECHNOLOGY
INVESTMENTS 82% of those surveyed
highlighted improving
student experience
as a main technology
investment for the
organisation. Integrating
technologies for improving
analysis of student data
was also flagged as a
key issue, with university
leaders keen to utilise
business intelligence,
allowing greater analysis
of student performance
and enrolment information.
Cloud Solutions
Learning Management
Systems (LMS
Improving Student
Experience
Efficiency Gains
Through Process
Automation
Modernisation of
Service Delivery
Models
Going Mobile -
Incorporation of
Mobile Devices in
Teaching and Learning
Predictive Analytics
for Student Success
Technologies for
Improving Analysis of
Student Data
High Medium Low
26.94%
37.04% 50.17%
41.08%
42.76%
51.52% 42.09%
52.86% 40.07%
82.49% 15.49%
40.07% 44.11%
44.11%
2.02%
15.82%
53.53% 19.53%
12.79%
50.17% 8.75%
13.13%
6.40%
7.07%
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

11. TOP PRIORITY
IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES Universities are struggling
to achieve a complete
view of the student
journey right from
initial enquiry through
application enrolment and
beyond. Conversion rates
need to be improved in
bringing on new students
and greater visibility
around student behaviour
through to graduation is
sought after.
Information Security &
Data privacy
Social Mobility
Industry 4.0 Improved Visibility of
Student journey
Demonstrating Value
for Money
18.18% 43.77%
5.05% 12.46%
20.54%
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

12. CURRENT OR FUTURE
FOCUS AREAS
With the significant
influence that UK and
international league tables
and other publications
have on the university
choices of prospective
students, improving
reputation was stated as
a current focus by nearly
all the group. While in
the past competition
solely came from other
UK universities, solutions
are now needed that can
assist in standing out from
international and digitally
oriented organisations.
Current Future
Reputation (UK &
International; League
Table Ranking & ‘Good
Place to Work’) 91.2% 8.08%
Sustainability (Cash
Flow, Financial Health)
86.87% 13.13%
International
Recruitment
Strategies (Total
Overseas Headcount)
83.84% 16.16%
Student Recruitment
and Institutional
Growth (Total Student
Population) 91.58% 8.42%
Research (Total
Annual Research
Incomes)
80.14% 19.86%
Teaching (Retention
Rate year 1 & 2,
Total Graduations vs
Enrollments)
87.88% 12.12%
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

13. IT PURCHASING ‘DECISION
MAKER’ OR ‘INFLUENCER’
IT spend is planned to
increase in the future, and
the overwhelming majority
of respondents wish for
even higher adoption of new
technologies. The major
influencers of the group
who do not hold IT budgets
but directly influence
solution purchasing
decisions understand that
their IT spend needs to
increase to meet wider
departmental initiatives.
Increase Decrease Stay the same
Increase Decrease Stay the sameInfluencer Decision maker
AS A DECISION MAKER,
ICT SPEND WILL LIKELY
AS AN INFLUENCER,
ICT SPEND WILL IDEALLY
59%
41%
58%
33%
9%
81%
18%
1%
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

14. SPEND MAPPING As the importance of digital
information and networks
grows, cyber security is
increasingly fundamental
to the success of higher
education institutions.
They rely heavily on digital
data both for the smooth
operating of the institution
as an enterprise and
for generating complex,
valuable and at times
sensitive digital research
data.
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
Increase Decrease
Stay the same
HR CLOUD SOLUTIONS
GLOBAL MOBILITY
SOLUTIONS
ROBOTIC PROCESS
AUTOMATION (RPA)
ANALYTICS &
BIG DATA SOLUTIONS
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
DIGITAL SECURITY
INTERNET OF THINGS
(IOT)
VIRTUAL/AUGMENTED
REALITY
51%
44% 67% 66% 45%
26%
47% 40%
2%
2% 3%
72%
52% 57%
48%
54%
32% 33% 52%
2%
2%
1% 1%
3%
EDUCATION STRATEGY FORUM/TRENDS REPORT 2019

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discovery platform. Key client investment data is blended with enhanced networking capability via our
Forum Link app for everyone to intelligently connect through multi-channel exchanges during our live
Strategy Forums.
Deep understanding and clever tech connecting smart people in
smooth interactions. Goodbye static conferences, hello evolution.
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